Dad
by Lothiriel84
Summary: Five moments Virgil Minelli shared with Teresa Lisbon.


I.

"You wanted to see me, sir?"

Minelli immediately noticed how nervous she was, and gestured for her to sit down. Teresa Lisbon was definitely the best agent he'd ever had, regardless of the fact she was a petite woman and quite young too.

Even though he knew better than to judge her on such basis, most people actually did; that was the reason why she had to be twice as strong as her male colleagues, and he admired her for it.

"I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your hard work, agent Lisbon. You close cases, and you're not afraid of stepping on influential people's toes when you need to."

"Sir, I apologize if I was too curt with senator Graham," she started, but he promptly raised a hand to placate her.

"I meant what I said. You remind me of my early years with law enforcement, when I was always trying to save the world. Keep up the good work, Teresa."

Lisbon blushed crimson then, both pleased and embarrassed for his approval. "Thank you, sir," she muttered before leaving his office.

As soon as he was alone again, Minelli leaned back against the chair and tapped a pen on the desk. If he had to be honest with himself, the leader of the Serious Crimes Unit wasn't just a very promising senior agent; over the space of a few months he'd grown inexplicably fond of her, though deep down he was well aware of the reasons to it.

In a way she was the daughter he'd never had, and the fact that her real father was no more made him quite protective of her. Her being remarkably good at her job only filled him with pride, just like would happen to any father whose kid decided to follow his footsteps.

II.

"You can't be serious, sir."

He joined his fingers and looked her straight in the eyes. Teresa was right when she said that Patrick Jane was a loose cannon, and he might as well end up destroying the reputation of the whole bureau.

However, Minelli could also see the potentiality in him; he only needed an experienced supervisor to rein him in, and if there was someone capable of controlling the man, that was Teresa Lisbon herself.

She was both strong and compassionate, and had done a remarkably good job at handling him so far. If Hannigan refused to work with Patrick Jane, then that was his problem and his problem only.

"You know he can be a valuable asset. All you need to do is keep an eye on him."

_And see that he doesn't burn the building to the ground_, he thought but didn't say. He was pretty sure that Lisbon would understand all the same.

Minelli could tell the exact moment when she finally capitulated.

"As you wish. Don't say that I didn't warn you though."

A couple of days later he found her staring warmly at Patrick Jane's recumbent form, as he was dozing on that piece of junk he'd dragged in from somewhere.

He smiled and silently tiptoed out of the bullpen.

III.

"There's nothing I can do to change your mind, is it?"

He paused and turned to face her, then rested a friendly hand on her shoulder. "This is none of your fault, Teresa. Remember that."

The latest events had been taking their toll on both of them. Minelli had been tempted to throttle Doctor Carmen with his own hands, and that guy who'd paid him to frame Teresa Lisbon for the McTeer murder too.

Then Red John had decided to show his discontent over the handling of his case by killing four CBI agents through his acolyte Rebecca, and Minelli had felt his whole world crumbling to pieces.

He'd always known how much Teresa cared for Sam Bosco, and he admired her for how well she was coping with his death. The fact that she'd made the honorable decision not to act on her feelings for him didn't meant it would be easier for her to face the loss.

"The CBI won't be the same without you," she said, and there was more than a hint of sadness to her tone.

However, Minelli only smiled. "Someday you'll take my place, and turn this agency into a better one."

Teresa shrugged noncommittally. "With Jane around, it's far more likely that I'll end up losing the job instead."

He patted her shoulder, then nodded towards the elevator. "In the meantime, shall we pay a visit to the rooftop café?"

She finally allowed a small smile to tug at her lips before falling into step behind him.

IV.

"Hey, boss. What are you doing here?"

He shook his head and shut her office door. "Teresa, I haven't been your boss for years now."

Lisbon shook her head in turn and waved a hand to offer him a seat. Minelli ignored her though; he threw a quick glance at the consultant fast asleep on the couch instead.

"How is he coping with Red John's demise?"

She paused for a fraction of second before giving an answer. "He's fine," she said eventually, and Minelli couldn't help but notice the slightest of blushes color her cheeks.

A frown creased his brow, and he regarded Jane with renewed interest. He looked notably relaxed, there was even the hint of a smile hovering on his lips.

However, Teresa candidly ignored the questioning eyebrow he raised at her. Her gaze didn't waver as their eyes met, and he simply let the subject drop.

She was a grown-up woman after all; if she'd decided to take a chance on Patrick Jane, then he would trust her judgment. And God only knew how much the man needed someone to help him move on at last.

"What about you, Teresa?" he asked, and was immediately sure that she got the true meaning of his words.

"Never better," she answered easily, and a smirk danced over her face.

Minelli nodded knowingly, then restrained from any further comment.

V.

"Rose, look who's come to visit us."

As soon as she caught a glimpse of him, the little girl let out an excited cry and bolted into his arms.

Minelli dropped a kiss on top of her head, then threaded his fingers through the kid's dark curls. He wasn't just Rose's proud godfather, he was also the closest thing to a grandfather she would ever have. But then, that was only natural, given the fact he'd been a surrogate father to Teresa for quite a long time now.

"Are you going to stay for dinner?" the girl asked hopefully.

He chuckled and turned his gaze on the kid's mother, who quirked an eyebrow in mock annoyance.

"She's definitely taken after her father," Teresa stated wryly. "She never bothers to consult me in the first place."

However, her expression softened like every time she mentioned her daughter. Rose had been quite an unexpected gift for her and Patrick; she'd fought tooth and nail to carry on the pregnancy in spite of the doctors' gloomy predictions, and in the end she'd shown them she was right.

Over the last few years she'd managed to balance her job and her family in an admirable way, and that was another reason for him to be proud. It didn't matter that Teresa was never going to have the brilliant career he'd foreseen when she'd joined the CBI, the only thing that mattered was that she was truly happy with her life as it was now.

Patrick Jane might still be a loose cannon but Teresa loved him dearly, had even managed to tame him somehow. Their little girl was the most precious thing they had, and Minelli knew he could claim the same thing too.

"Of course I'm staying for dinner," he said at last, and watched little Rose as she danced merrily about the room.


End file.
